Fish-stop.



J. H. DREHER.

FISH STOP.

APPLICATION FILED 0012?. 1913.

1,1 50,348. Y Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

W lbmm COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH 110., WASHINGTON, D. c,

er sion.

JULIUS I-I. DREHER, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

Patented Aug. 17, 1.915.

/ Application filed October 27, 1913. Serial No. 797,477.

' Stops, of which the following is a specification.

It is. one of the objects of my invention to provide a rotatable fish stop adapted for use in flumes orother passage Ways or conduits in which a fish stop may be desirable or necessary, and it. is one of the features of my invention to provide a fish stop which will not only frighten the fish from passing beyond the stop but which will also eliminate obstruction by aggregations or collections of debris as a resultof the interposi tion of the fish stop in the stream.

I ish stops comprising rotatable structures which are peripherally screened, have been interposed in a stream with the object of relying upon a practically continuous perforated obstructed surface for'preventing fish from passing beyond the stop. Some of these forms of fish stops have been constructed to rotate in the direction of flow of the stream and others contrary to the direction of flow but it has been found that where a continuous perforate structure is interposed in a stream, collections of debris result in such a manner as to objectionably clog and impair free operation of the stop Where the same is driven by the current. When a fish stop is brought to a position of rest, or

where its rotation or operation is reduced in speed by collections of debris or otherwise, the fish stop practically fails to perform its function and the fish no longer fear to pass it. In prior constructions, it has been contemplated that the debris would pass over the top or beneath the rotating body, but in either case, when a collection of debris has clogged operation of the fish stop the stream is dammed with the result that fish can readily pass over the stop.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a rotor to which rotation is imparted by the current in which it is interposed, and on which projecting elements are arranged so that there will be a continuous movement of said projecting elements extending throughout the cross sec tional area of the conduit so as to frighten fish against any attempt to pass beyond the 7 stop.

A further feature is to provide freely and openly projecting elements so that when they are engaged by debris passing down with the water, such engagement will be laterally of the longitudinal axes of said projections thereby offering no resistance to passage of the debris through the stop because of release of the debris by such projections when the latter attain an aft position, with respect to the stop.

A further object is to provide a rotor fish stop which will be propelled by the cur rent without any motors or other devices driven by the current, and which will rotate in the direction of the current instead of contrariwise with respect thereto.

Further obj cots and features of the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be more particularly pointed out and ascertained in and by the appended claim.

In the drawing:Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conduit or flume in which a fish stop embodying one form of my invention is mounted or interposed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

. Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

In the particular form shown, a conduit or flume is provided having parallel side walls 1 and a bottom wall 2. The direction of current is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. However, I do not wish to be limited to a supporting means of the form shown, for positioning my improved stop in a stream.

The particular form of stop involves a shaft 3, which is suitably journaled in the side wall 1, and on which is mounted a hub l which extends substantially completely across the channel through which the current of the stream passes.

The improved .fish stop, which may be termed a rotor, as a whole, is preferably located at such depth in the stream that the normal water level will be approximately at the center of rotation, or will coincide with the axis of the shaft 3.

A plurality of paddles 5 radiate outwardly from the hub to which they are attached and they are shown in such spaced relation, circumferentially, that a considerable immersion of one will be effected before the following paddle splashes into the Water.

The paddles function not only to impart rotary movement to the rotor stop but to also create a very material. disturbance in their passage through the water, especially at their entrance into the water, so as to effectively frighten the fish not only against any attempt to pass through or beneath the stop but against any inclination to approach the stop. Thus by keeping'the fishes at a distance from the stop, a'most effective deterrent is provided against their passage hrough the mouth of the ditch.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a series of radially disposed rotor impelling devices which function not only as such, but which are freely spaced apart and open radially outwardly from their bases. so as to effectively and directly cause splashing disturbances in the water without the defect of a surrounding envelop.

I interpose between the paddles aplurality of series or groups of radially projecting elements or prongs 6, one series beinginterposed between each pair of paddles and the prongs 6 are preferably disposed in lines or rows which are radially parallel with the axis of the shaft 3. The prongs 6 will be positioned in relatively close relationv with respect to each other although desirably in some considerable spaced relation'with respect to adjacent paddles. I not only space the prongs in relatively close relation but I form the same of resilient wire or rods so that if a fish should happen to swim between a pair of prongs andfeel the restraining action thereof, the fish could readily wiggle out of such restraint because of the yielding action of the prongs 6 thereby preventing the latter from carrying a wedged fish around beneath and through the stop. The prongs (5 are substantially radially disposed with respect to the hub a but they are curved so as to present concave faces toward the. ad-

vancing stream whereby debris will seek to enter between the prongs and their adjacent paddles so as to engage the same laterally, and loosely because of the space therebetween, the rotating movement of the stop serving to carry the loosely grasped debris itself.

prongs at a, such debris would be released at?) by the action of the passing current Entrance of debris at any of the spaces between the prongs and the paddles, will be afforded and a gradually enlarging radially outward passage, aft of the rotor, under current action.

It, willthus beseen that, it would bealmost impossible for therotor toclog and th reby causeits rotation to be reduced or stopped, and dam the stream, because of the facility with which. debris is engaged and released by thestop, However, if for any reason the rotor is prevented from rotating, the stream is. in no way prevented from flowing in its normalway in thatthis] device presents no positive dam for the same. As is obvious the prongs 6 afford. little or no resistance and the, propelling paddles 5 are of such size relative to the hubet that the stream can easily flow on either side of the said paddles.

Itis believed that the novelty and utility of the invention. will be clearly understood from theforegoing description andwhile I have herein. shown and described one specific form of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claim. may import.

I claim j In. combination, a fiume and. a fishstop mountedtransversely of and in said 'flume,

SillCl fish stop, comprising a rotatable hub, a

plurality of prongs projecting from said .hub and paddles positioned for engagement by the passingv stream to rotate said hub, the said paddles being relatively narrow whereby to form afwaterway at each side of the flume in any of the variouspositions of the paddles when. said rotor is idle.

In testimony wherof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS Deanna.

Witnesses:

Lornsn DEDERICH, Jos. F. Dronnrong.

7 Copies of this patent may he obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0t Patents,

washington, 13,0, 

